AEC provides technical expertise to public service organizations working on these topics. Founded in February 2017, AEC is a non-profit consulting group offering expert services from seasoned professionals, while also providing on-the-job training to the next generation of technical experts on public interest issues. AEC is housed at Tufts University’s Global Development and Environment Institute in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Dr. Lisa Gualtieri, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, is looking for a graduate student research assistant for the spring 2017 semester to assist with a research project on wearable activity trackers (e.g., Fitbit, Jawbone, Withings), physical activity, and health outcomes. The student will have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of a research study, from participant recruitment and organization, data collection, analysis, final reporting, and publication.

These research endeavors are tied to RecycleHealth.com, a non-profit started by Dr. Lisa Gualtieri to collect wearable activity trackers (over 900 to date with donations of new ones from vendors as well) and redistribute them to underserved populations. Dr. Gualtieri conducts her wearable research in communities that may benefit most from increased physical activity, but have limited opportunities to engage with fitness devices.